Is Mbale safe? Uganda travel risk
Is Mbale safe right now? Checked 16 October 2026
Mbale scores 65/100 on our travel risk index (Elevated). The US State Department rates Uganda Level 4 (Do Not Travel, updated 4 Jun 2026); the UK has no advice against travel; Canada says: avoid non-essential travel (with regional advisories). No GDACS or USGS hazard events within 100 km in the last 14 days. CDC travel health notice: Level 2, Ebola Bundibugyo Virus Disease in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda (28 Aug 2026). No change in government advice in the last 7 days.
Mbale scores 65/100 (Elevated). The score combines security, crime and scams, health and medical access, natural hazards and current alerts measured for this location and Uganda (how it is calculated). The sections below are specific to Mbale: nearest emergency and transport facilities, 5-year natural hazard history within 100 km.
Driven by: The US State Department advises against all travel here, so the score is held at 65 or higher. Governments disagree: US Level 4, UK Level 1, Canada Level 3.
A score of 65 is higher than the scores of 88% of the 241 countries we cover.
Consult the Uganda travel risk page for nationwide security advisories, entry protocols, and consular warnings.
Local Geographic Profile
Mbale belongs to Mbale (Uganda), centered at coordinates 1.0806° N, 34.1750° E (1125 m above sea level). Distance to Kampala is 196.7 km towards the WSW.
Mbale
1.0806° N, 34.1750° E
1125 m
Africa/Kampala
96,189
Emergency & Transport Infrastructure
Surrounding Localities in Uganda
Natural Hazard Calendar & History
5-Year Hazard Calendar (100 km Radius)
| Hazard | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Floods | — | — | — | 2 | 3 | — | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | — |
| Wildfires | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — |
| Droughts | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Most flood events within 100 km of Mbale happened in May and October (6 of 13 in five years).
Source: GDACS, USGS; five years to October 2026.
CDC Traveler Health Notices for Uganda
- Level 2 - Ebola Bundibugyo Virus Disease in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda (Level 2, 28 Aug 2026)
Source: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Public Domain).
For consular advice on women's safety, LGBT+ travel, and local laws, see the Uganda travel advice & laws.
Check the official entry requirements for your nationality before you travel. See the Uganda entry requirements.
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